Hey so first story! Wooh! Hope you like it and don't think it sucks and all that. :) Oh and by the way the MacFusty clan are real in the HP universe, you'll find out what's so special about them by the end of this chapter.
DISCLAIMER: /disclaims ownership of Harry Potter and its wonder
"So Maura, you promise us you'll behave and not give your teachers any problems, at least none that are too bad, aye?" I grinned at my dad.
"Kelvin! Be watchful of what you say to the girl! You don't know what this wild child is capable of-"
"Ah dear, she's a smart little lass, she'll make sure she isn't caught" My brother Angus and I broke out in laughter. My mom's expression could easily be confused with that of a fish out of water.
"KELVIN!" She whacked his shoulder repeatedly as Dad joined right in with the laughs until Mom finally relented and joined in as well.
My mom suddenly stopped her laughing to look at me, "Oh and Maura, remember the mirror I've given you, whenever you wish to speak with us just tell it so. I'm sure Payton would be heartbroken not to hear from her big sissy often." At that we both looked down to the little three-year-old as she watched the other students passing by with wide eyes. I patted her head and she turned her focus to clinging to my pant leg.
"Oh and let Greer see me through it too!" At my exclamation Angus snorted.
He pointed out, "You think that either Mom or Dad are willing to get near enough to that beast just to let you say hi?" I pouted. Looking at my parents they seemed to agree with Angus' thoughts.
My dad tried to ameliorate the matter, "Well Maura, it's just, you have a way with the creatures, the rest of us, we're just their keepers…" I sighed and looked at my wristwatch Greer had gifted me from his treasure trove.
"Alright, um, look, Angus we better get going, it's nearly eleven now. Don't want to miss the train." My parents looked helplessly to one another, not wanting to leave on such a depressing note.
"Right. Just remember that we love you dear. And know that we'll always be there waiting for you back home on Skye. Greer too." I smiled at my mom's thoughtful words and after a hug from the three being left behind, Angus and I headed off towards the train with our carts.
"You sure you don't want to sit with me? I'll just tell my friends you're cool, I'm sure it'd be fine-" I shook my head, not wanting to take advantage of my brother's kindness, I knew he would want to catch up with his friends and I wouldn't want to get in the way. "Well… Alright then, see you at the feast then- and it better be at the Gryffindor table!" I laughed, waving over my shoulder as I walked away. My brother was the best, if I were to be asked who my best friend was, he'd definitely be the guy. And hopefully I'd get to see him a good amount, after all, he was only a year older and he promised me I had the makings of a Gryffindor. I smiled to myself. There hadn't been a MacFusty in all of history that hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor. Well. None that we knew of anyway. Upon thinking this I finally came upon a compartment empty save a pretty blond-haired girl that looked to be about my age. Peeking in, I flashed the friendly smile that Angus and I shared.
"Hello. Mind if we share?" She flashed her eyes in my direction, taking a moment to look me up and down from her copy of Witch Weekly.
"I suppose not. Name?"
Taking a few seconds to recover from her brusqueness I answered firmly. "Maura MacFusty." Before I had a chance to ask the same she began again.
"Pureblood. Very well then. Cora Montgomery. Pleasure." I blinked, not knowing quite how to respond to that.
"Uh yes, same… Oh hey! Our names rhyme!"
"Right." At that she shifted her attention once again back to her magazine. I awkwardly shifted in my seat and resigned myself to merely looking outside the window though we hadn't left the station yet. After a few minutes Cora again glanced up, this time critically, "Your hair is rather horrid you know. But you're actually quite pretty aside from that." I was astounded at the girl's strange ability to be as brusque and seemingly thoughtless as she was proving to be. Again, I struggled to find a response before Cora started up with her thoughts again. "But let's get down to business. Pureblood? Same here. Both quite good looking, I say we stick together through our schooling. Keep the… Hm. How should I word it… Keep the filth away, you know, muggleborns, halfbreeds,-"
I was surprised I had kept my head this long when I was infamous for my fiery temper, as fiery as my hair, which I rather liked by the way. "Filth hm? Ever notice that that's all that's coming out of your mouth?" At this I switched my tone to mimic her arrogance, "Dreadfully sorry luv, I'd rather not relate myself with such a pompous snob. Ta ta!" Grabbing my carry-on up, I made sure to swish my long, curly, and quite out of control red hair in Miss Montgomery's face as I made my dramatic exit from the compartment. I gasped just after exiting the doors though as a shaggy-haired boy with bright grey eyes popped up right in front of me.
"Woah! That was awesome! You sure told her!" I smirked at the stranger as I started off my search for a new compartment. "Hey! Hey wait!" I looked back, "The name's Sirius. What's yours?"
"Maura MacFusty. Nice ta meetcha." He grinned and stuck his hand out for a shake. However after grabbing it, it became more of a competition to see who had the firmer grasp.
A disgruntled older student behind us soon became impatient with the wait. "Hey, keep it moving firsties. I haven't got all day." Yet instead of waiting he just shoved through. In the process Sirius stumbled through an open compartment door, falling right on his behind. I laughed following along.
"Wow that's embarrassing Sirius. We've disturbed these two girls now. Oh wait, there might be room for us in here! Do you two mind if we share?" Again I smiled my friendly smile, hoping it would work out better this time.
Another girl with red hair, though lighter and straighter, answered first, "Oh yeah, go right ahead. I'm Lily Evans. And this is… Well actually, she won't even say her name…" I frowned and looked at the other occupant of the compartment after smiling at Lily. The girl looked scared out of her mind, her peculiar, ice blue eyes darting from us to the floor. She had short, dark brown hair that curled cutely before cutting off just below her ears with blunt bangs and dainty features on her tanned skin. I guess she was nervous about coming to school and was a first year like the rest of us.
I moved slowly over to the unnamed girl before bending down to a crouch to make introductions, "Hi I'm Maura MacFusty and this is Sirius. But he doesn't matter much," I waved dismissively in his direction as he protested, "I'm nervous about all this new school stuff and all, are you?" She looked up fearfully as I sat patiently smiling before her. After a minute or so she nodded her head vigorously. I stuck out my hand slowly, for a moment she appeared as if she didn't know quite to do with it before grasping her own in mine and shaking, seemingly proud of herself for remembering what to do in such a situation.
"Angelina…"
I hid my shock, unlike Lily, at her having actually answered and instead smiled softly, saying, "Pleased to meet you." After finishing introductions I sat down beside her as Sirius did the same next to Lily and we began an involved conversation which Angelina even put a few words or giggles into with my careful prodding.
"So Maura, what house do you want to be in?" I smiled widely at Sirius' question and answered without any hesitation.
"Gryffindor! My brother's in it and I like their qualities most." I grinned with a note of finality, just to show that I would not be swayed on the matter.
Sirius nodded his agreement, "Yeah agreed, and I kinda wanna piss off my Slytherin-infested family too. That would be fun." I laughed.
Lily gave a confused look, "What's wrong with Slytherin? I only read that they're supposed to be cunning, want to accomplish their goals, and all that."
I nodded realizing that being raised outside the magical world could leave someone lost when it came to understanding the more unwritten basic information in the society. But before I could explain a boy standing just outside our open compartment began to. I frowned. 'What's with people and eavesdropping around here?'
"Slytherin? The house is filled nearly to the brim with blood supremacists and sometimes even the dark magic fanatics. After all, Salazar Slytherin wanted a place for the pureblood snobs after the other houses began opening up to others. Not a prize place to end up." The boy seemed around our age and had a bright-eyed, bushy tailed thing going on with his bright hazel eyes behind wire-framed glasses and untidy hair.
At even the sight of the boy Lily seemed to begin steaming, "You! You're the one who scared off Sev earlier! You didn't even know him! Why would you tease him like that?" She seemed to have a mental battle with herself for a moment. She looked to the members of the compartment that had been there already apologetically, "Sorry all you, I better be going to look for my friend Severus again. He was with me earlier but this brute scared him off and I couldn't find him again. He should be settled somewhere by now." At this she waved and shoved her way out of the compartment through the unsuspecting boy who managed to catch himself before falling. I couldn't help but notice the forlorn expression on his face as he watched Lily leave. I decided not to make any comment on the situation as did the other two members of the compartment.
He winced at the rest of us, waving his apologies, "Sorry about that… Anyways, my name's James Potter. I've been kinda hopping from compartment to compartment," he seemed at this point to beckon someone forth from further off. "And this is Remus. Met him a bit ago, we're both looking for a place to sit- mind if we squish in?" The boy, Remus, of whom he was speaking caught up and I wrinkled my brow in concentration, there was something off about him. "Ummm…" I hadn't realized I had gotten distracted and shared a look with Sirius, waving the two in.
James sat down besides Sirius as Remus, who had missed his introduction, sat on my left side, nodding to me, "Nice to meet you, my name's Remus Lupin." I smiled and nodded back.
"Oh yeah, James told us so before you caught up. I'm Maura MacFusty." Again he nodded and sleepily leant his head against the wall, choosing a nap over any conversation. After a few minutes or so of introductions and small talk James and Sirius had launched into a wild, fast-paced conversation of their own, seemingly new best friends as I turned to see Angelina gazing out the window.
"Hey Angelina, wanna see something cool my mom taught me?" I grinned at her she turned towards me nodding enthusiastically. I grabbed my ten inch redwood dragon heartstring wand from my carry-on and positioned it over my head pointing downwards. "Capillos Plectere." Imagining in my head the two French braids I wanted my hair to separate into,(I was getting annoyed by my hair flying all over the place in the cramped space) I cast the spell.
"Oh wow!" I smiled at her small exclamation joyously. James and Sirius who I hadn't noticed watching clapped, laughing chorusing with a 'Yeah MacFusty!' Angelina gathered her wits and asked curiously, "So how much magic do you already know then?"
"Oh a little here and there that my parents and brother taught me already. Just wanted to show you that one, it's useful for lazy people like me." She giggled daintily at my joke and we were able to continue with a friendly conversation until she drifted off to sleep resting against my shoulder. I took this opportunity to observe my other neighbor that I was before suspicious of. He had short and soft-looking light brown hair and tanned skin. Yet, what worried me were the scars covering his skin, some looking newer than others. He had almost as many covering his skin as my dad and we were the Hebridean Black Dragon keepers of the MacFusty clan. I only had one major scar, but I was a different story anyways with my so-called gift. And it was that gift that at the moment was telling me that there was something up with this guy. Something not quite human. Somewhat like the feeling I get around Greer or any of the other dragons. Not a bad one. Just… Not human.
'Mr. Dumbledore sir?'
'Yes Angelina?'
'I've done what you asked and yes, Miss MacFusty does seem to be the one you were speaking of.'
'I thought so. Good thing I put those blocks on you, we'll be wanting to ease her in. It'll be too late to do anything with Remus Lupin though.'
'Oh. Um. Okay. And Mr. Dumbledore?'
'Dear, no need to be so nervous.'
'Uh, yes, well, Maura will be safe right? She… She's really nice. I don't want her to ever be in danger.'
'Of course she'll be safe dear. She's at Hogwarts. And she has you after all. If you ever need to speak with me feel free to use the link anytime.'
'Yes, thank you Mr. Dumbledore.'
Hurray for sketchy plot points! Hope you enjoyed! And I may be trying to shove a lot of facts in here, like the whole obscure MacFusty clan being the keepers of the Hebridean Black Dragons from their location on the Hebrides Islands in Scotland(I put them on Skye), so just tell me if I bodge anything up :) Or you can just stop to say hi in a review! Trust me, it'll probably leave me jumping around my house to know someone liked this!